Synthesis, dimensions and solution properties of linear and macrocyclic poly(chloroethyl vinyl ether)-g-polystyrene comblike polymers

Abstract

The grafting of polystyryllithium onto chloroethyl ether functions of poly(chloroethyl vinyl ether) (PCEVE) chains is a selective reaction which allows the complete substitution of chloride of CEVE units by polystyrene (PS) chains. Since the PCEVE polymer backbone and the PS grafts can be prepared by living cationic and anionic polymerization, respectively, it is possible to synthesize PCEVE-g-PS polymers possessing both a backbone with controlled dimensions and an adjustable number of branches of precise length. This procedure was applied to the synthesis of a series of linear and macrocyclic comblike PCEVE-g-PS based on the use of linear and cyclic PCEVE as reactive backbone, respectively. The synthesis, the characterization and the solution properties of these linear and cyclic comblike polymers are reported.